Cream of Broccoli Soup
2 TBLS butter
½ cup minced shallots or 1 & 1/3rd cup leeks-cleaned and chopped small
1 Tbls flour
2 cups chicken stock or veggie stock
¾ pound broccoli
¼ cup heavy cream
¾ tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat butter in large saucepan over low heat until foaming. Add shallots or leeks and cook covered until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add flour and stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring as you go.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes
Broccoli prep: Separate florets from stalks and break up florets into smaller pieces. Peel the stalks and chop into small chunks.
In a food processor separately process stalks and florets with quick pulses so the pieces are like the size of peas. Do not puree into mush! Preparing the broccoli this way allows it to cook quickly and evenly, thus avoiding an over-cooked sumptuous smell and taste.
Add broccoli to the simmering stock. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender.
Puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Transfer soup back to pot and stir in the cream. If the soup is too thick, add hot water or milk to achieve the desired texture.
Warm soup over low heat until warmed through. Add lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.